Queensland combines city living with the stunning natural beauty of the Gold Coast. Photograph: Hideo Kurihara/Getty Images

It's no wonder a country offering more than 21,000 miles of incredible coastline, sub-topical rainforests and the Great Barrier Reef is a popular choice for expat Britons (just don't mention it's also home to a variety of dangerous animals, including the deadly venomous brown snake).

Its history – Australia was claimed as a British territory in 1829 following Captain James Cook's arrival in 1770 – means the established link between Brits and Aussies remains strong, albeit with a healthy dose of banter.

While Sydney may seem the obvious choice for Brits, a surprising number head to Perth in western Australia where a mining boom has led to speedy economic expansion and the need for a larger workforce. Brisbane in Queensland is also a popular choice, as it offers all the benefits of the city plus the stunning Gold Coast.

Australia's population of just 22 million ensures there is plenty of open space to pursue a healthy outdoors lifestyle in the sixth largest country in the world; while overseas demand for its diverse natural resources means it experienced just one quarter of negative growth during the recent global economic meltdown. "She'll be apples," as Australians might say.

Things to know before you go

There are a variety of visas available for people who wish to move to Australia permanently. The main categories are: Skilled Independent Migration (for those who are not sponsored, under 50, and with qualifications relevant to occupations on Australia's "skilled occupation list". This currently includes engineers, accountants, actuaries, vets, special needs teachers, dentists and electricians); Employer Nomination Scheme (for people sponsored by an overseas employer); and Business Migration (for entrepreneurial businesspeople and investors).

Australia also offers retirement visas for people aged 55 or older, as long as they have no dependants (excluding a partner), are self-supported and are able to make "a significant long-term financial investment in Australia." This means they must have assets of at least $750,000 (£484,000), or $500,000 (£323,000) for those settling in regional Australia. They must also have access to a minimum net income of $65,000 (£42,000), which can be pension income.

The good news is you will be able to claim your UK state pension while in Australia. The bad news is there is no social security agreement between Australia and the UK, so your pension will be frozen at the value it was when you moved to Australia. The UK government has opened discussions with Australia regarding the frozen pensions policy, so this may change in the near future.

There are no requirements for vaccinations unless you're coming from a country with a risk of yellow fever, in which case you'll have to show you've been vaccinated against that, but health advice suggests standard vaccines against the following would be wise: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, rabies, tetanus.

Things you need to know when you get there

What airport will you arrive at? This depends on where you're heading. While most people will land at Sydney, other destinations could be Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, Cairns, Canberra or under-explored Darwin.

Local currency The Australian dollar. On 12 November 2012 AUS$1 was worth 65p and £1 was worth AUS$1.53.

How do you spot a cab? There is no iconic cab in Australia, though Brisbane has a lot of yellow cabs – a hangover from the 1920s when it imported yellow taxis from the US.

Price of a hotel room The four-star Holiday Inn at Potts Point, Sydney, costs about £150 a night in November; while Darwin's four-star Holiday Inn Esplanade costs £105 a night. Hotels.com put the average price at £115 in the first half of 2012.

Price of a house Houses are expensive in city centres. Even in a Sydney suburb a three-bed home can cost $1m+. According to Numbeo, the price per square metre for an apartment in Sydney city centre is $10,000, dropping to $6,000 in the suburbs.

Price of a pint of milk A litre of milk is $1.50-$2.

What language do most people speak? English, though some Brits might amusingly say that Australian is English with as many words abbreviated as possible or with "o" at the end.

What tax will you pay? The first $18,200 of annual income is free from tax, but then rates rise quite steeply. Income between $18,201 and $37,000 is taxed at 19%, while income above $37,000 is taxed at 32.5%. Income above $80,000 up to $180,000 is taxed at 37%; and income above $180,000 is taxed at 45%.

Residents are taxed on their worldwide income, including salary and dividends. You are an Australian resident for tax purposes if you have been in the country continuously for six months or more – those who are on a temporary resident's visa are considered to be residents for tax purposes.

How long will it take to send a letter home? About a week.

What to tell your friends

• In 1954 Bob Hawke "sculled" 2.5 pints of beer in 11 seconds to make it into the Guinness Book of Records – he later became prime minister.

• Australia is home to six of the top 10 deadliest snakes in the world.

• The box jellyfish is considered the world's most venomous marine creature and has killed more people in Australia than stonefish, sharks and crocodiles combined.

• The kangaroo and the emu were chosen to feature on the Australian coat of arms because they cannot walk backwards – they represent a nation moving forward.

• The Australian kangaroo industry estimates it exports kangaroo meat to more than 55 countries, with the EU and Russia the most significant markets.

Case study

Tamera and Steve Eldridge, with their children Lily and Grace

The Eldridge family – Tamera, Steve, Lily and Grace – moved to Sydney in 2005, mainly for the lifestyle. "We wanted to experience life in another country and we wanted an adventure," Tamera explains. With a background in marketing when she lived in London, Tamera is now senior marketing manager at the University of New South Wales, while Steve, who is originally from Manchester, is general manager of the Red Cross Blood Service in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.

"We love the weather and outdoors lifestyle – and being able to go to the beach in a lunch break," Tamera says of their adopted home. "The beautiful scenery and Sydney harbour is hard to beat. Sydney is a great city too, always something to do whether sporting, cultural, social or just going on a ferry. It's also been good for both our careers, with opportunities that would not have been as available in the UK."

The view from the Eldridge family's window at their home in Sydney

She says it is easy to meet other expats, but not just Brits: "A huge amount of people here aren't from Sydney. We have friends from Canada, Hong Kong, the US, Ireland, Scotland, England, India, Lebanon, New Zealand, as well as from all over Australia."

Her main advice for potential migrants to Australia is to be prepared to take time to settle in and be realistic about it. "It takes at least a year to start to feel at home. Stick with it, and be aware you will miss the oddest things about the UK. Like Tesco. And the NHS."

• If you're thinking of moving overseas why not enter our competition: we are offering £500 of travel vouchers to help you make the move.

• Are you a UK expat in Australia? We want to see the view from your window. You can share it with us by adding it to our Flickr group tagged "Australia". Our selected favourites will appear in a gallery on guardian.co.uk/money.

• Share your tips for expat newcomers to Australia in the comments section.

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